The forgiving Exclusive Paradise makes shredding look easy. Experts loved its versatility and quiet handling at speeds, but—attention, intermediates—they found it easy to skid and maneuver in any situation. Rocker has very few downsides, and the Paradise is a great example. Wide, rockered tips float over powder and crud; tip them on edge and the “pre-flexed” shape dives into turns without requiring much effort from the skier. While it’s wide for daily use in the East, it’s a great one-ski quiver for Westerners.

A versatile ski for women who live where abundant soft snow falls, the Rosa has a deep sidecut that makes quick, snappy turns on groomers and feels responsive and secure on steep aspects. The rockered tip and tail release turns easily and enable the ski to wiggle deftly through trees and bumps. Testers remarked on the Rosa’s lightweight feel and thought it would make a good Western touring ski. It’s forgiving and won’t overpower intermediates.

With shorter lengths intended for women, the LX82 is an encouraging friend for an intermediate woman looking to up her game. “It encourages commitment to the fall line,” one tester said, “but it forgave minor balance infractions.” It’s a mellower ski than Kästle’s sidewall-construction carvers, but it still requires attention. Trust the edge, tip the ski, and feel yourself improve.

On groomers the Tornado screams through medium- and large-radius turns with power and precision, gripping securely but disengaging when necessary. In crud, bumps, and trees it’s energetic and maneuverable. It’s perfect for folks looking for a playful ski that knows how to work hard when the time comes—patrollers, instructors, and all-mountain generalists. Overall, it’s a great blend of on- and off-piste strengths. [$1,190 with binding]

Another winner in K2’s stellar A.M.P. line, the Rictor stands out among all-mountain skis by virtue of its playfulness, manageable power, and confidence-inspiring edge grip. Like most all-mountain skis, the Rictor eschews tight turns for looser, longer ones and handles groomers, crud, and mild doses of powder. A slightly rockered tip dives effortlessly into carves and steers nimbly through bumps and trees. Experts and intermediates, mellow and aggro, East and West—all will dig the Rictor. [$1,125 with binding]